By Tim Haddock

Those who have followed NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan's career know he played football and basketball at Georgetown University before turning to stock cars.

He was teammates with Allen Iverson at Georgetown, and loves to talk about basketball and playing for then-coach John Thompson.

With his college basketball background, Gaughan, driver of the No. 77 Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge, was asked about Mike Krzyzewski leaving Duke to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.

Krzyzewski turned down the offer, but he took the weekend to think about it, leaving basketball fans in Southern California and North Carolina on edge.

"Was I surprised he stayed at Duke? Not at all," Gaughan said. "I happened to know coach Krzyzewski in a little bit of a way. I've been able to go out to dinner with him quite a few times and spend some time with him. He's a great man. He reminds me a lot of coach Thompson. He's a great man who's very good at taking boys and turning them into men. That's what he does. He's very much involved in doing things and molding people."

Even if Krzyzewski had taken the Lakers job, Gaughan said he probably wouldn't have enjoyed his time in the NBA.

"I don't believe he would even have a good time in the pros," Gaughan said. "To most of the players the game is different. They practice different. They expect different things. I don't think he'd have a good time, just like I know coach Thompson would probably not have a good time. So, I was not surprised at all. I'm glad that he stayed at Duke if it means when my Hoyas get back on top we can still go and beat Coach K." -- Tim Haddock